There are as many types of weddings out there as couples are looking to get married. No two couples will plan their wedding in the same way. But knowing which kinds of weddings are best suited for you will make planning a wedding so much easier.
If you’re not sure what types of weddings you can choose from, keep reading! We’re going to break down the different weddings that you can have so you know what to choose for your big day.
Religious Wedding
The kind of wedding most people are familiar with is a religious wedding. This is when the couple follows their religion’s beliefs and traditions when getting married.
If you follow a certain faith, your church and congregation will come together to help you celebrate the marriage. They have their own processes that they go through based on their religious doctrines. They often take place at sacred worship spaces as well.
Depending on where you want to have your religious wedding, you may be limited on the kind of decorations and personalization you can have. You should still be allowed a wedding videographer and photographer, though!
Interfaith Wedding
If you and your partner have different religious beliefs, you may decide to have an interfaith wedding. Interfaith weddings can be wonderful occasions that celebrate the beauty of two different people coming together and sharing their faiths.
If you think an interfaith wedding would be right for you, take the time to look at both of your religions’ marriage rites and rituals. Decide which ones you want to include in your wedding and find an officiant who can give you the customized experience that you want.
Non-Denominational Wedding
Another common type of wedding is the non-denominational wedding or a civil ceremony. If you and your partner aren’t religious people, this may be the best route for you. A civil ceremony makes the wedding more about law than faith or religious beliefs.
You will still pledge vows and sign a marriage contract. You can have a civil official or other officiant lead the ceremony.
You can have a civil wedding at a courthouse or other appropriate places. If you want to have a more traditional wedding without religion, you may choose to find a non-denomination officiant that can marry you using your own ceremonial readings.
Destination Wedding
Destination weddings are great for people who want to jump right into their honeymoon after the wedding. Instead of having a wedding near where you live, in a destination wedding you pick a tourist spot and craft your wedding around that.
You can plan your destination wedding at a historical site, a beautiful barn in the country, or anywhere else that offers a wedding venue.
The only downside of a destination wedding is that your guest list may be smaller than you anticipated. Not everyone will be able to afford to travel with you!
DIY Wedding
DIY weddings can be a mix of the other types of weddings we’ve mentioned already. But instead of hiring a wedding planner to let someone else make your day special, you work on it yourself!
In many cases, DIY weddings are less expensive because you’re doing a lot of the work yourself. But there’s a pitfall you can fall into. Sometimes, doing all the decorations yourself can actually cost you more money than hiring someone else to do it in the first place.
Also, something like baking a wedding cake or taking wedding photos are jobs better left to the pros.
Themed Wedding
A themed wedding is any wedding that is decorated and planned around a single theme. There are tons of cute themes for weddings.
Some people love more rustic-looking decorations, so they go with a burlap and lace theme. Maybe you want a fun New Years’ Eve wedding, so you plan your theme around that. You could also try a vintage wedding, a retro wedding, a goth wedding, or even an un-wedding!
Just be careful that you don’t get too tacky with it (unless tacky is your theme!) It’s easy to take a theme too far and wind up with wedding pictures that don’t age well.
Elopement
An elopement is when you and your partner decide to get married on your own. Rather than spending all the time and money on planning a whole wedding and ceremony, you and your partner get married on your own.
Elopements can be just as much fun as traditional weddings. Use the money you would have spent on a wedding and plan a fantastic honeymoon with it instead.
This is a great choice for couples who don’t like to be the center of attention or maybe don’t have as many friends and family members who would be able to attend a wedding anyway.
Beach Wedding
There’s nothing better than a beach wedding. The name is self-explanatory: they’re weddings that take place on a beach!
Beaches are beautiful and they make the perfect backdrop for a wedding ceremony. If you can secure a good spot on a nice beach, you’ll have gorgeous wedding photos and videos to enjoy forever.
Just be warned: mother nature is unpredictable. You never know when a stray wave will head your way, or when the wind will blow sand in your eyes.
If you want to have a beach wedding, you have to be willing to go with the flow.
Which of These Types of Weddings Are Right for You?
There you have it, all the best types of weddings for couples with all kinds of needs. Whether you’re looking for a traditional wedding with traditional vows or an avant-garde wedding with a theme, there are tons of options for you.
No matter what kind of wedding you want to have, make sure you’re prepared to plan it. For more of the best wedding planning tips, keep reading!